Faces in the Crowd

Vineyarders have certainly fallen for Mrs Miller, but some notable visitors have also been spotted enjoying the brilliant new James Lapine play and its star – the incredible Debra Monk. This past weekend, the stars in the seats almost outnumbered those on the stage.

8-time Academy Award winning composer Alan Menken was among the smallish Thursday audience. I believe Lapine and Menken are friends and neighbors in New York. The man who has written just about every Disney tune you’ve even sung in the shower attended the performance with his wife Janis, and they were reported by cast and crew members to be “super-nice”

Friday night, the very prolific character actor and star of the cult hit “Office Space” laughed throughout the show, then praised friend Debra Monk afterwards for her amazing performance. Another very recognizable actor Paul Benedict, perhaps best known for his role as the quirky Englishman Bentley on the Jeffersons, also attended a weekend performance. Benedict was fantastic, as always,  in one of the Playhouse’s Monday Night Series readings this past summer and is a long-time supporter of the Vineyard Playhouse.

Also in attendance on Friday night, was the always outspoken Tessa Dahl, daughter of Patricia Neal and the late Roald Dahl. Tessa looked Fall Fabulous in a brown layered prairie-style dress and a gorgeous string of jumbo multi-colored pearls in the hues of the season. I noticed that she was carrying her signature Hermes “Kelly” bag – the same one you’ll see her clutching in a recent photo of Dahl and friend Nicky Haslam in this month’s Vanity Fair.

Well, not that I’m obsessed with spotting celebs (OK – I lie – I’m a little obsessed, but I’m an obsessive kind of guy) but watching some of the very talented folks in the entertainment biz enjoying this fun, fabulous show, has certainly added to its already hi-gloss luster. And if some of the biggies from New York and beyond are coming to tiny MV to check out this show – that certainly bodes well for its future.

Well, I’m off now to catch brunch and gossip with some friends. The Sunday/Monday withdrawal while the theater is dark is always a tad painful for me. Nothing a couple of mimosas won’t cure.
- Till Tuesday. VLAD

MV’s Newest Star

Just as Mrs Miller was discovered in the 60s and blasted off to fame and fortune as the “most unlikely diva the pop music star-making machine has ever churned out” *, an equally unassuming star has emerged on MV – thanks to the recent “Do Your Thing” contest at Outerland. The very preppily distinguished looking silver-haired Dr. Gerry Yukevich won the honor of Worst SInger on MV with his no-hold-barred rendition of “Wild Thing” – which prompted judge Guinevere Cramer to call him the Triple Threat – loafers, button-down shirt and animal sexuality (or something like that) The choir-singing Mrs Miller herself (AKA Broadway and TV’s fabulous Debra Monk) was overcome with awe by the performance and actually said (and I quote) “I’m a little wet” – I assume she was referring to the tears of admiration the amateur’s inspired performance induced in the ever-so-accomplished singer and actress!

Other contestants included the fabulous Niki Patton, who was convinced to sing twice (OK – that’s as much a testament to the scanty pool of potential contestants as Niki’s burgeoning talent): Peter Simon doing a hysterical version of “A Hard Day’s Night” (Those of us who knew Peter in the 70s and 80s know that he had more than a few of those in his prime!) and Paul Munafo who interrupted his performance at one point to question Mrs. Miller musical director Michael Starobin on the lyrics to Wild Thing before continuing with a dramatic rendering. I guess, in typical actor style, Paul was trying to find his motivation – he did – in the form of accolades from the female members of the celebrity judge panel.

All in all – it was a fun, fabulous night at Outerland – and, sadly, one of the last, since the storied nightclub has just announced it’s closing for good. Well, if you can’t pack a house with a Broadway star-studded evening of bad singing – there’s just no hope for Vineyard audiences! If you missed this once-in-a-lifetime event (and chances are good that you did) be sure to catch Gerry “Yuke” singing the Mrs. Miller jingle on MVY. This local MD is going places (mostly out of range!)

See you at the Playhouse! – VLAD

*from review on Plumtv.com

Simul-Cast

Well, if you’re as much of a fan of James Lapine’s brilliant new play “Mrs Miller Does Her Thing” as I am, this is your lucky week. The incredibly talented, and fun cast is appearing simultaneously on the stage and on Plum tv every day at 8, 3 and 8 on Comcast channel 76. James, Debra Monk, Larry Bryggman and musical director Michael Starobin taped an entire show from their rehearsal space in Edgartown last Friday and I just discovered that the Plum Mrs Miller special is playing all week.

The laid back Lapine starts off the show discussing his connection with the Vineyard and the Vineyard Playhouse. It turns out that he has a house here and has been coming to the island for years, and he’s workshopped other shows at the Playhouse. Then Debra Monk and Larry Bryggman talk to Plum’s Guinevere Cramer about their many accomplishments in the theater and on the big and small screen. Of course, most of us recognize Larry from his 35 years as Dr. John Dixon on “As the World Turns” but the versatile actor is also an extremely accomplished veteran of NY theater, as is, of course, the fabulous Ms. Monk.

The hour long special concludes with Michael Starobin discussing writing musical scores for some of the biggest stars around – the Ringling Brothers elephants! among many other fascinating projects he’s been involved in a long and illusttrous career. Then the adorable Nick Blaemire closes the show with a retro-style jingle he wrote for the show. The closing note “Mrs Miller Does Her Thing-g-g-g-g-g-g! is pure Broadway – as is the oh-so-fun-yet-extremely-moving play, that, by the way, is selling out fast. Get your tix now! And don’t miss the stars on Plum TV through Thursday. The interviews are also on their website at plumtv.com. If you missed the Emmys – you can still catch a fabulous fun show shot right here on MV!

Stars on the Horizon

I’ve got opening night jitters – and I’m only an audience member! But what an opening night I am fortunate enough to be looking forward to – the premiere of James Lapine’s “Mrs. Miller Does Her Thing” right here on 20 x 7 mile Martha’s Vineyard!

Back up a minute Vlad, it’s been a while since I launched this blog – and there’s been such a Kansas-style twister of excitement blowing across the island – I haven’t had a minute to take a deep breath and log on long enough to catch you all up. So – here’s what’s happening.

James Lapine – yes THE James Lapine, Pulitzer Prize and three time Tony award winner is bringing his latest musical play AND his amazing Broadway star-studded cast to the Vineyard for a three week run before the show -stars and all- shoots off on the fast ferry to the Great White Way.

The stars, Debra Monk, Brad Oscar, Larry Bryggman and a ton of fresh new New York talent, have been super busy rehearsing at their rented compound in Edgartown. But not too busy to be spotted around Edgartown at local shops and eateries, and also to host a fun, fun, fun contest at Outerland last Thursday night (more about that in my next blog)

I’ve gotten the chance to meet the very funny Brad Oscar, who replaced Nathan Lane as Max Bialystock in the Producers. He likes to tell friends that he’s “Septembering on the Vineyard” I’ve also had the opportunty to grovel (I wasn’t even sure what exactly that word meant until I found myself doing it!) at the feet of the incredible Debra Monk. The actress/writer’s got an Emmy, a Tony AND a Drama Desk Award to her credit. And just a little inside scoop – in real-life she’s hardly the choir-singing grandmotherly Mrs. Miller type she plays so well. Not only has she got a wonderful singing voice, but also, contrary to the real-life Mrs. Miller, the former NYPD Blue actress made some fairly “blue” remarks about several of the male contestants in the Worst Singer on MV contest that she judged with her  castmate Brad Oscar and others.

Anyway, I’m having the time of my life this September. I’ve even invested in an entire new wardrobe. A blogger’s got to look good, considering the company I’m keeping these days. Gotta go now – need my beauty rest. Opening Night’s only three days away! See y’all at the show.

Vlad’s Vlog

Hey fellow theater lovers, Vladimir here. I’ve finally found the time to launch my blog! I’ve been so busy all summer, but with Labor Day fast approaching, and the buzz so thick in the air it’s almost audible, I thought – no time like the present (or the day after the present anyway!) to get going on this.

Check back tomorrow as I start catching you all up on what’s going on at my home-away-from home -  the Vineyard Playhouse on the oh so fabulous island of Martha’s Vineyard. Gotta run now – it’s almost curtain time!